Improvement in the mode of loading fire-arms



c. A. McEVOY.

Cartridge.

Patented Mar. 26, 1861.

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

O. A. MGEVOY, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 31,815, dated March 26,1861.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, U. A'.MOEVOY, of Richmond, in the county of 'Henricoand State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Im' provement inMuzzle'Loading Cartridge and Guns 5 and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, referencebeing had to the accompanyin g drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, in which- Figure 1 represents a central longitudinalsection of a gun with the charge in two positions. Fig. 2 represents thecharge-receiver before its being rolled up ready for receiving thecharge. Fig. 3 represents the charge-receiver rolled up ready for thereception of the charge. Fig. 4 represents an enlarged bottom view ofthe charge-receiver when rolled up. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of thecartridge-protector. Fig. 6 represents alongitudinal section of themuzzle end of the gun and Fig. 7 an end view 7 of the same.

Similar letters of reference in each of the several figures indicatecorresponding parts.

The nature of my invention consists, first, in the combination of acartridge with a'tubular cartridgeprotector open at both ends, so thatin loading the gun the charge can be pushed through and detached fromthe said cartridge-protector, as hereinafter described.

It consists, secondly, in a charge-receiver provided with a series ofincisions on top and bottom, and rolled up so as to form a top rim and aclosed bottom, in the manner and for the purpose hereinafter described.

It consists, thirdly, in the combination of the cartridge and tubularprotector described with a circular recess in the muzzle end of the gun,for the purpose hereinafter described.

The object of this invention is to produce a cartridge which can becheaply manufactured, will facilitate the process of charging the gun,and will be perfectly protected from injury by the weather or othercauses.

This cartridge is intended for muzzle-loading guns, and is constructedin the following manner: A rectangular piece of thin sheet metal,parchment, or other suitable material, B, Fig. 2, is provided at top andbottom with a series of parallel incisions, as represented in Fig. 2, atO and D. The bottom incisions are made somewhat slanting, so that whenthe piece is rolled up after the said bottom part D has been turned upat right angles to the body of the piece, the single strips of the'partD will fold over each other as seen at D, Figs. 3 and 4, and all meet inthe center. The upper edge 0 of the piece B is turned down in the shapeof a rim on the outside of the tube, formed by rolling up the piece B,as seen in Fig. 3.

The piece B, thus rolled up, constitutes the charge-receiver, closed atthe bottom at D, and provided with a top rim, 0, as described.

This charge-receiver is inserted in a metallic tube, A, open at top andbottom, and somewhat longer than the charge-receiver. This tube A servesas a cartridge-protector. In the manufacture of the cartridges thechargerecciver B is inserted into tube A until the rim 0 abuts againstthe upper edge of the said tube A. A cylindrical rod of a diameter equalto the inner diameter of the charge-receiver when so inserted isintroduced into the charge-receiver, and another similar rod into theopen bottom end of the tube A, and the two rods are pressed together, soas to compress the strips forming the bottom D of the charge-receiverinto a compact mass. The upper rod is then removed, and the powder andball I inserted into the charge-receiver, so as to complete thecartridge, when the lower rod is also removed.

A cartridge thus constructed is perfectly compact, and, by means of theoutside tube A, well protected against injury by pressure, moisture, andother causes.

The gun for which this cartridge is intended is in all respects like anymuzzle-loading gun, only that the muzzle end of *the bore E is providedwith a circular recess, F, of a diameter equal to the outer diameter ofthe cartridgeprotector, while the diameter of the bore E is equal to theinner diameter of the chargereceiver B. The length of the recess F inthe direction of the length of the bore is sufficient to hold thecartridge and protecting-tube in position, and prevent it from fallingout when the lower end of the protectin g-tube A has been inserted intosaid recess.

When the cartridge and protecting-tube have been thus inserted in theend of the gun, so that the tube A forms, as it were, a continuation ofthe barrel of the gun, the flaring end H of the ramrod G is placedagainst the outer end of the ball I, and is pushed down. This action ofthe ramrod pushes the charge through the bottom I) of thecharge-receiver (which yields to the pressure and opens) into the barrelA, and bringsit home to the breech.

The cartridge-protector and charge-receiver are then removed, and mayagain be used for the manufacture of a new cartridge, and in this mannerthe expense of making these cartridges will be brought down to a verylow figure.

The charging of the gun will be much facilitated by the use of thiscartridge and protector, and a gun provided with these cartridges can beloaded faster than any other muzzleloading gun.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

cess, F, in the muzzle end of the gun, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

'0. A. MoEVOY.

Witnesses:

ROBT. W. FENwIoK, G. F. G. DIETERIOH.

